Morrison's Pensions

Pension Application for Eldert or Eldred Fonda

S.28734
State of New York
Montgomery County SS.
            On this nineteenth day of September personally appeared in open court before the judges of the Court of common pleas of said County now sitting Eldred Fonda a resident of Mayfield in the County of Montgomery and State of New York aged eighty one years who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7, 1832.
            That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.  That he lived during the Revolutionary War in the Town of Hoosick in the State of New York and in the vicinity of the country and in a country where the British and Indians were frequently making incursions plundering and killing the inhabitants.  That he volunteered for two months about the first of June 1777.  That he went into said service as soon as he volunteered and went to Fort Edward where he remained till just before Bennington Battle when he was discharged that he served two months at this time.  Elijah Rupell was Captain Joseph Gifford first Lieutenant, Thomas Brown second Lieutenant & Jacob Van Ness Ensign of the company in which he served.  John Nickerbocker (1) was Colonel and Daniel Bradt Lieutenant Colonel of Regiment, Dirck Van Vehten was Major.  Does not recollect names of other officers—August the 6 1778 was commissioned a Second Lieutenant—soon after he was commissioned about the first of September when out for three months as a volunteer went to Fort Edward where he remained till about the first of December following was out at this time three months Thomas Brown (2) was Captain Jacob Van Ness & this deponent was first & second Lieutenant of the company & Gamaliel Waldo, Ensign, Colonel Peter Yates Lieut. Col. John Van Rensselaer & Major John W.  Grosbeck commanded Regiment did not serve as he recollects with Continental regiments—that in the year 1779 he was out in said service most of the time from the month of April till the month of November.  That he went for four weeks at a time was then home a few days and then out again for two or more weeks he served till the exact period that he was in said service or the actual time he went into said service and [?] then he went as a volunteer staid as long as was supposed absolutely necessary then would return home for a few days holding himself in constant readiness to be into and serve at a moments warning.  That he served this year between the periods as aforesaid by being in actual service four months.  That he was in the same company and under the same officers that he was in & served under in the year 1778—
            That in the year 1780 he again volunteered and turned out & served in the month of May as he thinks, that he entered in said service till the month of October with the exception of being home occasionally.  The officers were the same as in 1780.  By 1781 he again went out in said service in the Spring of the year he cannot exactly say what time and was out till the fall of the year.  Some time in November that he was in said service this year four months or more. That during this year he was sometimes at home—but was in said service was most of the time—in the year 1782 he was in said service for about two months in the summer.  That the officers under which & with whom he served were the same during all the period aforesaid from 1778 till 1782 to the best of his recollection and that he did serve as the said Second Lieutenant. That when he was requested to go into said service he volunteered & continued as long as was necessary & excepting the times that he volunteered during the times that he served as aforesaid he was at Lake George at Fort George at Fort Edward, at Granville at Stillwater and at other places as was necessary all which places were within or about little over a days march from his place of residence.  That during the said service he knew General Schuyler General Robert VanRensselaer besides the general officers aforesaid mentioned.  That he was born April the 8th 1751 in Nyskayuna in the County of Schenectady & State of New York.  That John Dallenbacke has a record of his age in a bible that belonged to his father.  That he has no record other than the one aforesaid.  That he lived in the said Town of Hoosick in the State of New York when called into service.  Has lived in Hoosick since the revolutionary war till about twelve years ago when he moved from the said town of Hoosick to Mayfield where he now resides.  That he did not serve with any Militia or Continental regiment in particular. That Lewis Van Wort (3) commanded a regiment of Militia which lay part of the time with the regiment or some part of it in which he was.  That he volunteered with and served when it was deemed necessary.  Never received a discharge.  Has received a Commission signed by George Clinton and that he now has it in his possession—That he is known in his neighborhood to the Reverend Jeremiah Wood and who can testify to his character for veracity and their belief of his service as a soldier of the revolution.  He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present & declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state.  That he has no documentary evidence of his services.  (Signed) Eldert Fonda
            Sworn to & Subscribed this 19th September 1832 in open court. George D. Ferguson, Clerk

End Notes, Eldred Fonda

      Peter Yates, Colonel
      John Van Rensselaer, Lieutenant-Colonel
      John W. Groesbeck, Major
      Jacob Van Valkenburgh, Adjutant
      Abraham Vielle Quarter Master
      Thomas Brown,Captain
      Jacob VanNess, First Lieutenant
      Eldert Fonda, Second Lieutenant
      Gamaliel Waldo, Ensign

3. Lewis Van Woert was Colonel of the 16th Regiment of Albany County Militia.